Ayo Dosunmu wins Bulls’ starting point guard spot

Coach Billy Donovan’s starting lineup for the Bulls’ ultimate preseason sport Tuesday had minimum importance.

With Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan given the sport off, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez of the Bucks sitting out, the sport used to be necessarily a glorified apply.

But there were two constants in Donovan’s starting 5 during the preseason: Nikola Vucevic and Ayo Dosunmu.

Coming into the preseason, Donovan mentioned his choices at point guard within the absence of Lonzo Ball, however he has most effective used one in every of them — Dosunmu.

“Basically, yes,” Donovan mentioned when requested if Dosunmu had received the starting spot. “Ayo right now is going to be the guy back there for us. He’s done a really good job this training camp and preseason.”

Dosunmu used to be averaging 11 issues, 3.3 assists and three.7 rebounds entering the sport, which the Bulls received 127-104.

Patrick Williams led the Bulls in his moment get started of the preseason with 22 issues. Dosunmu had 8 issues in opposition to Milwaukee.

The second-year guard has been making ready for this position since he first began enjoying the sport.

He wasn’t essentially picturing this situation after a rookie season that noticed him juggling a task off and on the ball.

But transferring seamlessly between each spots is not anything new to him.

In his freshman 12 months at Westinghouse, he used to be at the ball. When he transferred to Morgan Park, he used to be moved off. At Illinois, he performed each roles.

“My dad always told me I was blessed to have both intangibles,” Dosunmu mentioned.

The distinction between his rookie season and this one is that he got here into coaching camp that specialize in starting up the offense with the primary unit.

As a ways as his management position in a lineup that can come with veterans DeRozan, LaVine and Vucevic, Dosunmu all the time has felt like their peer. But he acknowledges there may be room for enlargement with a respect-first mentality, after all.

“Talking to them a lot, being a good rookie to them, that all plays a role in [my comfort level being vocal],” Dosunmu mentioned. “Now they give you the respect that you deserve.

‘‘Then when you’re on the court and go out there and play hard, and they see you out there fighting, they’ll do the same thing for you.”

Ball had surgical procedure on his left knee Sept. 28 in Los Angeles and will probably be re-evaluated in 4 to 6 weeks relying on how his knee responds in rehab. There is optimism from the group that Ball will probably be again at some point this season, however past that, not anything is definitive.

It used to be Ball’s 3rd surgical procedure on his left knee since he used to be drafted in 2017. He has been adamant that he received’t go back to the court docket till he’s totally healed and comfy enjoying. In the period in-between, Dosunmu has proved to be a succesful starter in his absence.

But Ball remains to be shelling out assists, even whilst sidelined.

“He has told me about the pace of the game,” Dosunmu mentioned. “Also just understanding my teammates, where they like the ball, being a student of the game and managing the game.

“Seeing him here, seeing him get back, it’s all a progression. Brick by brick, I tell him.”

The Bulls open the common season subsequent Wednesday at the street in opposition to the Heat.